15-year-old Chiedza Nyanjowa dies after Formby beach rescue attempt

30 May 2026 , 19:14

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15-year-old Chiedza Nyanjowa dies after Formby beach rescue attempt

A 15-year-old girl has died after getting into difficulty in the water off Formby beach - making hers the 13th tragic water-related death since the beginning of the heatwave.

Emergency services were called to the scene off Albert Road at about 3:30 pm on Bank Holiday Monday following what they described as "concerns raised about the safety of a girl".

Witnesses told Merseyside Police they believed the youngster had got into difficulty in the water. She was rushed to Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in a critical condition.

Merseyside Police have now issued a statement to say the girl has passed away and named her as Chiedza Nyanjowa.

A force spokesperson said Chiedza’s devastated family have said she would be "remembered for her kind spirit".

They said: "Her family would like to express their gratitude to everyone that helped Chiedza. Her family is glad that there were people around her to support her, their support shows that she was loved. This is a difficult time for the family, who would appreciate any form of prayer.

"Her family describes her as a bubbly person, she loved Christ and going to church. She loved cooking, she was a giver and wanted to be a nurse when she grew up so she could give back. She will be greatly missed and remembered for her kind spirit."

The 15-year-old’s death comes after 12 other water-related fatalities in the UK during the ongoing heatwave. On Friday, Charlie Noble, 16, was named as the boy who died at Bracklinn Falls near Callander, Scotland.

And, on Thursday, Baltazar L’Quy was named locally as the 14-year-old boy found dead in the River Thames, Oxford.

Sophia Martinez

World Affairs Correspondent